Know your sauces: A quiz

Judy HevrdejsTribune reporter

You know sriracha, right? And romesco and harissa?

They’re among sauces and condiments to know since chefs and food makers are counting on them to satisfy our hunger for powerful tastes and fiery kicks, notes a recent report from market researchers Packaged Facts.

Or they're set out for diners to amp up a meal to taste (see: sriracha). Most are classics chefs have played with for years.

How important are they? “Condiments and sauces are the fashion accessories of the culinary world,” notes Kimberly Egan, in Packaged Facts “Condiments and Sauces: Culinary Trend Mapping Report.”

“More than ever they are a necessary part of the ensemble as diners seek enhanced food experiences and more global flavors, especially in their home kitchens.”

So to make sure you're fashion forward and your food cred is sterling, here’s a quiz (inspired by the report). Match these sauce and condiment “gems” with the descriptions below?

1: Aioli2: Gastrique3: Harissa4: Poutine5: Romesco6: Sriracha7: Umami

A: Not the tiny fish found in Provence, but a Quebec-born brown gravy (with a base, flavor and intensity that varies) and cheese curd-topped pile of French fries, now starring in U.S. restaurants and food trucks. Are they headed to the freezer aisle?

B: Classic French sugar-vinegar-fruit-enhanced reduction, usually with meat, sometimes dessert, so why not cocktails?

C: Ketchup, soy sauce, mushrooms all have this. The Japanese have a term for it that loosely translates as deliciousness; it adds a culinary oomph.